Heaven Help Me
by Elegant Solution
Summary: [Hairspray 2007 and Across the Universe crossover]Amber ventures into the city for the day and runs across the free spirit of Max.  Lyrics by Fiona Apple.  CornyAmber.  AmberMax.


_I've been a bad bad girl,  
I've been careless with a delicate man.  
And its a sad sad world,  
When a girl can break a boy  
Just because she can._

Amber felt the bile rise in the back of her throat as she sat in her seat on the train. Her blonde hair was messy and tussled over her flushed pink cheeks. She could still feel his breath on the back of her neck as his warm hands ran down her stomach. She squeezed her thighs together and felt the moistness again. Her cheeks darkened when she realized she had left her panties at his place. She prayed that Corny wouldn't want to have sex with her tonight. How would she explain a pair of missing panties to him?

She drew her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. She allowed her toes to wiggle out of her pale pink pumps, finally giving her sort feet a chance to rest. What that hell had she just done? She just had a one night stand with a blonde hippie man, who smelt like cannabis, beer, and strawberries. His hair had been unkempt and shaggy, unlike Corny's, who always kept his dark hair neat and slicked back. Betrayal, that was the ultimate sin she had just committed. Yet he had made her feel the most wonderful things and deep down, she didn't regret what she had done at all. In fact, part of her was ready to get off the train and run back to his crowded apartment.

Amber had decided to venture into New York City on her own for the day. She was twenty two years old and had never done anything on her own before. The day she turned eighteen, she had moved in with Corny and when she was twenty, they had gotten married. Now Corny was putting pressure on her to get pregnant. This trip was something she had to do. At least she would be able to say that did something on her own once in her life.

The city was cold that day. It got even colder that night. All she had wanted was a little warmth. It had started to drizzle so she found a little café to duck into. She ordered a cup of coffee. She never had a coffee before in her life.

There was a throaty, curly haired woman singing in the corner. Her voice was powerful and it sent shivers through Amber. She turned a bit, tucking a loose blonde strand behind her ear. Her blue eyes scanned the small crowd that was gathered religiously around the woman. That's when his blue eyes found her own. That's when she blushed and that's when she lost control.

He smirked at her just like Corny would have. That's when her golden wedding band found it's way shoved deep into her purse. Her white gloved hands trembled slightly as she heard his footsteps growing closer. Her heat beat sped up and he plopped down in the chair in front of her.

"Hey," he grinned, folding his arms.

She got the courage to look up at him; her cheeks still flushed a dark pink color.

"I'm Max," he said, extending his hand to her.

She took it gently with her gloved one as he firmly shook it. She itched to touch his bare skin. His thumb ran lightly over the white material and that smirk formed over his face again. Amber suddenly felt defensive and yanked her hand out of his, placing it into her lap.

"Is something amusing you?" she asked almost angrily.

"Your gloves, my younger sister wore a pair like them at her coming out party. I just find it amusing that a grown woman still wears them," Max replied.

"Well I am a lady," Amber retorted, feeling like a fool as soon as the words left her mouth.

"I know, I can tell by the way you are blushing," he smirked and Amber let out a shocked little gasp, blushing a dark red.

"You are very bad," Amber squeaked as she got flustered.

"I've been told that many times in the past. Do you care to correct my behavior? I'm sure a lady like you can teach me very good manners," Max said, winking a dazzling blue eye at her.

Amber looked down at her folded hands in her lap and let out a slow, steady breath. There had only been Link before Corny and that had been all her experience with men. Oh she was married and this was wrong, but she didn't care. Every part of her body was telling her yes, while her heart and brain were telling her no. Screw it. Amber looked up at him and held his gaze.

"I'm sure I can give you a lesson in manners, you'll be a very well behaved boy when I'm done with you," Amber smirked at him.

That's when she found herself shoved against the wall of his Soho apartment with her legs wrapped around his waist. His lips sucked against the tender skin of her neck and she had to push him away from fear of him leaving a mark. Corny couldn't see that or he would figure it all out. He pushed her further up the wall as he took a pert pink nipple between his teeth.

"Uhhh Max!" she cried out.

"Amber," he whispered against the hollow part of her throat causing her tremble.

"I n…n…need you inside of me," she whimpered, longing for friction.

"Not yet," Max smiled, his tongue licking up her throat and chin before his mouth crushed against hers.

They tumbled onto his shabby bed. Her gloves had been discarded on the floor along with the rest of her clothes and she ran her manicured nails down his chest. His mouth captured hers into a hungry kiss before his rough hands ran down her hips, across her thighs as he pushed her legs apart. She let out a loud cry as he slipped into her.

"Max!" she screamed, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, trembling with pleasure.

"Amber," he whispered into her ear as their bodies tangled in the sheets and the sweat started to drip.

She laid next to him for awhile, his face pressed into the back of her neck and his shaggy blonde hair tickling her cheeks. Max made her feel something that she didn't know had existed. Freedom.

_Heaven help me for the way I am.  
Save me from these evil deeds.  
Before I get them done_

Amber crawled into bed next to Corny after her train ride and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling in close.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear, not caring if he had heard her or not and for once she believed her own lie.

There were moments when she couldn't stop thinking about Max and she longed to run into the city to find him and his friends to join them. She could maybe be free and have a life that she wanted. She knew that could never happen for she had responsibilities now. Amber was pregnant. Of Corny was thrilled. She knew that it wasn't his child; she was carrying the child of the only man who had given her a taste of true freedom. A man she could never see again.

_What I need is a good defense  
cause I__'m feelin like a criminal.  
And I need to be redeemed  
To the one I sinned against  
Because he was all I ever knew of love._


End file.
